440 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 



[ Jane 8, 1876. 



prize was for Babbits and Cats, this being won by Mr. Hudson 

 with a yellow-and-white Lop doe. 



Pigeons were the first section, Pouters, Tumblers, and 

 Foreign Owls competing together, an Almond being first, an 

 Agate second, and Pouter third. Carriers or Barbs came next, 

 a Black Barb cock standing first an easy winner ; a Dun Carrier 

 hen, Btyiish but short of beak wattle second; and a Dun 

 cock good in beak but short of eye third ; a good Black Carrier 

 hen though young being very highly commended. English 

 Owls or Turbits were the next class, a grard Silver Turbit being 

 put first, the second a Silver Owl good all round, and third a 

 Blue Owl cock, very good in head properties but not in the 

 highest order. Dragoons came next, a model Yellow winning 

 first and the two plates of Rugby School, second coming a good 

 Blue, and third a Blue hen of good quality but young, and being 

 a hen not showing well against the cock, while many birds were 

 too long and fleshy in eye. The Homing Antwerps were a grand 

 class, and though the doings of the winners are unknown to us, 

 such were the points and qualities of the winners that under 

 favourable training we are thoroughly satisfied that their doings 

 would be something grand; and we would here remark that 

 to be clean and weli marked is no disadvantage in a flying bird, 

 the points which we took as guarantees of worth being the 

 style and carriage of a Carrier combined with a quick eye, in- 

 telligent head, short broad flights and tail, and well-developed 

 chest and arm, and if these points can be combined with correct- 

 ness of colour and marking we say it is a great advantage in 

 either cote or show pen. Many other good birds were noticed. 

 Fantails were a good lot, and an extra third was awarded, the 

 winners being White. In the Variety class a Black Fairy Swal- 

 lowwas first, and Blue Brunswick second, and a Dun Shortface 

 Antwerp third. Mr. Yardley won the point cup for Pigeons. 



Babbits were a capital entry in all classes, the Dutch, for 

 which this locality stands well, outstripping all other classes we 

 have seen of this variety. In Lop-eared, four pens were empty 

 —viz., those of Messrs. Barker, Fell, and Lamb. First was a 

 yellow-and-white doe looking a little worse for wear, but still 

 grand, 23 by 4j inches. Second an immense Tortoiseshell 

 doe, good in colour, dewlap, &c., 21 by 41 inches ; the third a 

 fawn-and-white buck, 21Jby4J inches. A grey-and-white doe 

 very good, but low in condition, 211 by 4i inches was very highly 

 commended. In Silver-Greys we were told the three winners 

 were all from the same stock. The cup for all. Lop and Dutch 

 excepted, being awarded to Mr. Hudson's buck. In Dutch the 

 above-named gentleman carried oil both first and second, a 

 great feat in our opinion. The first was black, and second grey. 

 The third was also black, and there being a great number of 

 very young Rabbits of a promising character, several extra thirds 

 were awarded, as also many other notices. Tlie prevailing fault 

 in this class was a slight unevenness of nose. One of the very 

 best in the show was spoiled by size alone, and was very highly 

 commended. The first in Himalayan was a grand Rabbit. 

 Second good in all but feet. Third very young, had not good ear 

 colour, or it would most decidedly have been higher. In the 

 Variety class a Belgian Hare of rare colour was first; an 

 Angora second, and a Belgian Hare third. The latter was very 

 good in fur, but out of order. In the Selling class a young 

 Fawn Lop, 20i by 4J inches, was first ; a Blue Dutch almost 

 equal to the winner in the ordinary class second, and a Belgian 

 Hare third. 



There were but four classes for Cage Birds, all the Canaries 

 being thrown into one. First was a Variegated Norwich of rare 

 colour of the high-fed class; second a Lizard (Golden), the best 

 backed bird we have seen this year, the only fault, and that but 

 slight, was a little irregularity of marking over the left eye. 

 Extra second was a Clear Jonque Norwich, almost equal to the 

 first for colour, and by the same exhibitor. Third a grand 

 Cinnamon. Extra third a Variegated Mealy Norwich, many 

 other excellent specimens being noticed. For Mules only 

 one prize was offered, and there were four entries, this award 

 going to a Variegated Linnet Mule, which award did not seem 

 to please our Coventry friends, but our experience is between 

 equal binds in Goldfinch and Linnet Mules that the Linnet is 

 most difficult to breed. In the British Birds a Magpie was placed 

 first, she was a grand specimen, the Goldfinches and Linnets 

 proving but poor. In Foreign birds a Grey Parrot was first, 

 and a Green one second. The third also was a Green, and this 

 bird told us that " Polly gets the prizes," but that must be when 

 Polly is a little cleaner and tighter in feather. 



Of Gats there were two classes, the Long-haired being poor, 

 while in the next class was a Tortoiseshell-and-white, and con- 

 sequently unnoticed, that might have won easily in the former. 

 The well-known Cat "Lion " took the cup, some other good Cats 

 competing here, the second being "White, and third Grey Tabby. 

 An extra prize was awarded to Mr. Geans for his Belgian Hare, 

 but this was not in the schedule. 



Turner's pens were used, and the Show well managed in all 

 respects. The rooms though small were light and airy. 



PIGEONS. 

 Pouter, Aluond Tumbler, op Foreign Owr.. — Cocfc or Hen. — 1, Extra, 

 and 2, H. yarilloy, BirmuiKhani. S, C. F. Herrieff, Banbnry. 



Carbieb or BiRB.— Cocfc or Hen.—l, Extra, 2, and 3, H. Yardley. 



English Owl ob Jvubit.— CocIc or Hen.— 1, U. Yardley. 2, J. Shillingford. 

 3, J. Uaruee. 



Dragoon.— C'ocfc or Hen,— I, Extra, and 2, R. Woods, Mansfield. 8, H. 

 Yardley. 



Homing Antwerp, oe Likeliest Bird for Flying Purposes. — Coek or 

 Hcn.—l, c. y. Ht meff. 2 and 3, W. Bates, KuKby. 



Fantail oe Jacobin.— C'ocA: or ifen.- 1 and », J.F. Loversidge, Newark. 2, 

 H. Yardley. 



Any other Variety— Cocfc or Ben. — I, H. Yardley. 2, J. Shillingford 

 (Priest). S, L. Carleton, Kagby (short-faced SiiYer Dun Antwerp). 

 CAGE BIRDS. 



Canary.— 1, R. J. Pope. 2, 3, and Extra 3. J. Adams, Coventry. Extra 2, R. 

 J. Pupe, Brighton. 



Mule.— 1 and Extra, J. BexBOn. 



British BIRD.-2, C. Foxon, L,utterworth. 2, G. E. Russell. 3, Miss Allen, 

 Rugby. 



t-uBElGN BiBD.—l, Mrs. Salmon. 2, H. Jelly. 3, C. Gascoigne, Rugby. 



RABBITS. 



Lop-eared.— Bucfc or Doe.— I and Extra, A. Hudson, Hull. 2 and 8, Mrs. H. 

 Piekworlh, Moulton Marsh, Spaiding. 



SiLVEB-GRfcY.- iJucfc or Doe.—i, Cup, and 2, A. Hudson. 8, B. GreavaB, 

 Cleethorpes. 



UKTCU.—Buc'k or Doc.—l, Extra, and 2, A. Hudson. 3, B. Greaves. Extra 8, 

 Master E. Campbell; B. Greaves (2). „ 



Himalayan.— Buc/c or Duc.—l, Mrs. H. E. Gilbert. 2, H. T. Hincks. 8, B. 

 Robmsou. 



Any other Vabiety. — Buck or Doe.— I, B. Gre&ves (Belgian Hare). 2, H* 

 T. Hmelts. 3, G. H. Robinson (Belgian Hare). 



Selling Class.-!, a. Hudson (.ingora). z, H. E. Gilbert (Dutch). S, G. H. 

 Robmson (Belgian Hare). 



CATS. „ 



Long-haired —3/aZe or Female.— \, H. Over, jun.. Rugby. 2, Mrs. D. Han- 

 bury, Clifton, Rugby. 3, A. Diver, Rugby. 



Short -nAiuED.—37"aZe or Female.— I and Cup, E, Baxter, London. 2, Mrs. 

 Salmon. 3, C. F. Smith, London. Extra 3, U. B. Uensman, Rugby. 

 WINNERS OF POINT AND CHAMPIOM PRIZES. 



Greatest number of Points in Pigeon Classes, H. Yardley. 



Greatest number of Points m Rabbit Classes, A. Hudson, 



Best Pen in Pigeon and Cage Bird Classes, H. Yardley, 



Best Pen in Rabbit and Cat Classes, A. Hudson. 



Judge. — Mr, E, Hutton, Columharian House, Pudsey, Leeds. 



NESTS FOR PIGEONS. 



Fig. 103. 



A USEFUL form of nest for Pigeons, which I have not seen in 

 use, is a modification of an ordinary shop till, and is, I think, 

 an improvement on the usual earthenware pan. It is simply a 

 rough block of wood of the required size, with a hollow for the 

 nest ; a useful size is 1 foot square by 4 inches deep, the hollow 



9 inches across and 3 inches 

 deep. Any carpenter posses- 

 sing a lathe could produce 

 them for a few pence. Their 

 advantages are thatthey stand 

 perfectly steady, afford a good 

 ledge for the birds when enter- 

 ing or leaving the nest, and 

 are not so likely to crack the 

 eggs as earthenware. They 

 are better than baskets, be- 

 cause they do not harbour ver- 

 min andean easily be scraped 

 and limewashed after each 

 sitting. I like them of such a size as just to fit behind the usual 

 blinds, which I prefer to hang on hinges in the form of a door, 

 as I can then get at the interior better with the lime brush. 



I suppose nine out of ten beginners are advised to use the 

 earthenware basin, and place a brick in front to assist the birds 

 into bed and prevent an upset, but this at best is a slip-shod 

 contrivance. 



The woodcut will perhaps give a better idea than words of the 

 form I recommend. — Sciolist. 



[The above plan for a Pigeon nest strikes me as good. I 

 would merely add that it should be formed of wood that would 

 not warp, and also that it be thoroughly well painted, not one 

 coat merely, with oil paint. Then a cleansing would be easier 

 and more effectually made by washing, and it would be a neater 

 plan than limewash. The depth need not be so great as 3 inches, 

 for I fully believe Pigeons prefer a shallow nest. The pans I use 

 in my loft are 3 inches in depth, but I do not mean to have any 

 more quite so deep. A scraper in the shape of a half moon 

 (some meat-choppers are made in this form) makes the best in- 

 strument for cleaning the nest out thoroughly. I saw one in 

 use in Mr. Heath's (of Calne) loft recently, and thought the 

 idea a good one. — Wiltshibe Eectob.] 



TOEKSHIRE CANARIES. 

 At one period (none other than the last Canary-exhibiting 

 season) I began to imagine that Yorkshire birds were becoming 

 as numerous as were the acres of laud in the county of (as the 

 vernacular tongue of the locality expresses it) " Y'ark." I will 

 not be too precise, however, upon that poiut, as I am " at sea " 

 just now as to the exact number of acres of laud the county 

 possesses. However numerous may be Canaries bred in the 

 county, still the vast number is farther enhanced by those bred 

 annually in the adjacent districts. 

 I In the north of England the breeders of Y'orkshire Canaries 



